Formula 1 and DHL have unveiled an initiative to use sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) on cargo flights carrying teams around the world for the 24-race championship.
Under the initiative, 20% of the cargo flights to races outside Europe used by Formula 1 use SAF working with DHL Global Forwarding’s GoGreen Plus service, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 80% compared to conventional fuels.
The aim is to save around 4,500 tonnes of carbon by 2024, although they are looking at ways to increase this figure. DHL has been working with F1 in logistics for 20 years and is now working with the motorsport series to help it achieve its commitment to zero net emissions by 2030.
However, Formula 1 logistics is not limited to air freight but also includes a substantial part of the cargo that is transported in containers, either by sea or overland, depending on the location of each race.
Asked about reducing emissions from freight shipping, Paul Fowler, Director of Logistics at DHL Motorsports, said: ‘It’s something we’re looking into now, but it’s not as easy as sustainable aviation. We have to have multiple carriers available, we can’t pick one carrier to cover all the routes in the calendar. We are looking at sustainable marine fuels as our next chapter,’ he said.
This shift towards reducing emissions at Formula 1 began five years ago and has included the replacement of older B747 aircraft with more fuel-efficient B777s, resulting in a 17% reduction in emissions. Last year, 19 trucks used to transport the Formula 1 broadcast centre in Europe were replaced with Gen 2 biodiesel trucks, a number that has increased to 37 this year, and more recently PAS has been implemented on 20% of cargo flights.
🔗 Source: SeaTrade Maritime News